Method and apparatus for treating textile goods, loose fibers and like materials



April 24, 1956 K. E. CHAMBERS ETAL 2,742,773

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE GOODS, LOOSE FIBERS AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed March 21, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fitx e vzibrs I KwLIiCfambens" Ru 0 TIE Wlilfupg .HHO

W I lllilllillwilllilll III: III. N km UN @N H m April 24, 1956 K, CHAMBERS ETAL 2,742,773

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE GOODS, poosE FIBERS AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed March 21, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Apnl 24, 1956 K. E. CHAMBERS ETAL 2,742,773

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE GOODS, LOOSE FIBERS AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed March 21, 1952 3 h h 3 United StatesPatent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE GOODS, LOOSE FIBERS AND LIKE MATERIALS Karl E. Chambers, 'Chelmsford, Wallace S. Rnsson, North Chelmsford, and Frank E. Whiting, Andover, Mass., assignors to Kroy Unshrinkable Wools, Limited,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Ontario Application March 21, 1952, Serial No. 277,872

9 Claims. cl. 68-44) or wool-containing fabrics, they all appear to be subject to the difiiculty that if carried too far the shrink-resisting process can become detrimental to the material being treated. On the one hand, if the treatment is carried out with solution concentrations which are such as to secure economically satisfactory speed of treatment, there is great danger that the outer fibers of the yarn or fabric may be treated to excess while the inner fibers are unaffected or insufficiently treated. On the other hand, if the solution concentrations are reduced sufiiciently to obviate this difliculty the output of the equipment is greatly reduced.

This difiiculty is enhanced by the fact that in anyv of the usual methods of continuous treatment of fabric for instance, the act of pulling the material through a tank containing the solution creates a tension in the fabric which has the effect of tightening up the yarn. This tightening up makes more diflicult adequate contact of the inner fibers with the treating solution, firstly because of the reduced amount of solution which can reach the inner fibers, and secondly, because the solution which reaches the inner fibers tends to become exhausted and to inadequately treat the inner fibers.

Adequate treatment of the individual fibers requires that they all be brought into intimate contact with equal concentration of the treating solution for a sulficient time.

. Many attempts have been made to achieve this condition by subjecting the material, while submerged in the solution, to alternate squeezing and relaxation, to insure the intimate contact of each fiber with a treating solution of sufiicient concentration to insure the reaction being carried out with sutficient rapidity to be economical.

Such methods, however, have been inadequate. They require great pressure to substantially express the liquid from a bundle of wool fibers, thus necessitating the use of heavy rolls. Moreover, the number of transfers of the treating solution in and out of the goods needed to achieve adequate treatment required prohibitively bulky and expensive equipment. Furthermore, because of the physical size of the squeeze rolls, the outer fibers can readily become overtreated by too long contact with the solutions before a sufiicient number of transfers can be elfected to achieve adequate treatment of the inner fibers.

Attempts have been made in the past to achieve the required transfer of the treating solution in and out of the goods by swaying the material to and fro in the solution. While this procedure tends to enhance'the transfer of liquid in and out of the interstices between the fibers, it simultaneously tends to close them because of the tension introduced in the goods in overcoming the defeating.

Furthermore, we have found swaying of the goods does not per se accomplish the desired completeness of transfer of the treating liquid in and out of the fiber bundles. To be effective in achieving the desired conipleteness of transfer, it is necessary that certain conditions exist and be combined with other proceduresas hereinafter more particularly described.

Thus, the ultimate objective objective is a simultaneous treatment of all of the fibers in the goods with the same concentration of solution and for the same length of time.

The various objects and advantages of the apparatus and method of this invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawing. v

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevational section view illustrating diagrammatically the arrangement of parts embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transversesection view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section along line 3-3 of Fig. l, of the vibrating rollers and the screen supported by them.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of another form of j of output or exit rolls 21, are mounted adjacent the opv posite end of the tank. Passing between the input and output rolls 12, and 21, are upper and lower screens 14- and'13, in the form of endless belts. The goods 15, to

be treated, which may be fabric, wool tops, or. any other material, is fed between a pair of preliminary input rolls 1 28, and then to the entrance rolls 12, between the screens 13 and 14. The preliminary rolls 28, preferably rotate at a slightly greater speed than the entrance and exit rolls 12 and 21. Obviously, the difference in speed of the rolls 28 and 12, should be very slight to avoid the piling up of the fabric between these pairs of rolls.

From the rolls 12, the screens and goods next pass between a pair of submerged rolls 16, which also exert only light pressure and serve primarily to guide the combination to a group of three pairs of rolls 17. These rolls 17, are in linear alignment and are supported at their opposite ends in bearing plates 22, which in turn are each supported by a vertical column or bar 22A. These v'ertical members 22A are, or may be, connected at their upper ends to a transverse bar 22B, forming a yoke. At the center of the bar 22B, an arm, 22C extends vertically I upward by means of which the yoke (22A-C), is suspend 10, of any edit-'1 andiare supported.by,.mpainofrolls 18, located'approximately in the middle of the tank. From the rolls 18, the screen and goods still continuing in straight line path, pass between three pairs of linearly aligned rolls 19, similar to the rolls 17 and supported in the same manner. From the pairs of rolls 19, the screens then pass to a pair of guide rolls 20, adjacent the exit end of the tank and from these guide rolls 20, these screens pass to tha exitrolls. 21'.

bur-conducted through thesolutiontin a substantially tensionless. manner andwith; at minimum. amount: of, power. Thus the goods is merely supported by and betweenthe screens. screens-.andlgoods with-suflicient pressure to squeeze out excess solution from.the:goods. The-1 rolls need be'made of. materials which resist. the action of: the solutionsin which: they are immersed; Excepting. the: exit rolls 21, we: have: found: Pliofilmirr sponge: form; wrapped around Bakelite rods advantageous; setzclosez together. so. as to; keep: the conveyerscreens: together. and stilhthe: sponge material will give: ifi clumps of wool} pass, through. between. the screens, aswhen processing wool: tops or; loose fibers;

The: pressure exertedxhy.- the. exit rollsx21, which are powerrdn'ven, provides traction sufficient to pulltheconrbination of screens and fabric supported therebythrough the tank without imposing tension upon? the fabric. and with minimum: power requirements.

Since the mere passageof the fabric or goods/through: the tank supported by the screens is-. not suflicient to accomplishimpregnation and'adequate treatment, and since swaying or oscillation of the goods in the treating solutiondoes:not; per se accomplishadequate treatment without over-treatment, we achieve the desiredtransfer of solution and treatment by rapidly vibrating the goods, thusaccelerating it first in one direction andthen in the other. By such rapid repetitive to and fro movement of thegoods through a small distance, we; achieveacceleration of the goods. ina substantially tensionless condition through the' solution against the inertia of'the liquid. Rapid acceleration, incontrastto slow movement-at low velocity or lowfrequency swaying, enables thorough penetration and transfer-"of the solution relative to-the goods;

To provide the necessary acceleration; the cam' 27 is rotated rapidly causing the lever 25, to move vertically carrying the yoke 22, 22A, 223 with it. The vertical movement of" the side plates-22-may be guided by a pair ofverticall'y spaced stationary guide members 23, which maybe mounted on the sidewalls of the tank or on'the frame of" the machine or in any conventional fashion; Although the vibrating motion thus imparted to the screensis'an important feature of the invention, such motion may'beimparted by various means and in various wayswithin the scope of' the invention, the invention not being limited to any particular vibratory means.

We prefer to carry the vibrational'interchange. of the shrink-proofing solution in. and out of the material by vibrating it at a relatively low amplitude and relatively high frequency for, a period'long enough to ensure the reaction being satisfactorily completed.

In. this connection it should be noted that the maximum acceleration imparted to a sinusoidallfy vibrating member equals the amplitude of oscillation. in feet,,times the square of 21r, times the frequency in cycles. per second. In other words, for a given frequency ofoscillation, the acceleration is directly proportional to the ampli't'ude. In the present invention, the oscillation is applied at substantially the same. amplitude. over the entire area. of the material between the rolls of the groups of rolls 17; and the same applies to the. group of rolls. 19.. In general, we have found that theaccel'eration needed to give an adequate interchange of treatingsoliltion into- All of therollsheretofore men tionech, except therex-it rolls 21 purposely exert but light" pressure; upon. the. screens in. order that the goods.- shall However, the exit rolls: 21' press upon the Rolls. of that form: can. be.

and from the fiber bundles is dependent upon the character of the bundles, i. e. a worsted yarn requires a higher acceleration rate than a softer twisted yarn. Also, the acceleration value must at least equal the minimum required for the type being treated. In the present invention, the amplitude necessary for this acceleration is attained as soon as the goods reach the group of oscillating rolls 17. This full scale amplitude and concomitant acceleration continues effective upon the goods until they leave the rolls 17. Ther same applies to the rolls 19. This is a distinct advantage over other methods of moving the goods relative to the-liquidysuch. as by useof a single oscillating pair of rolls at say a mid=point.. In that method, in order to obtain at least the minimum accelerationover the. same distance as is. done :inzthepresentr invention, the amplitude of" motion at the mid-point would clearly need to betwice as great as in the present invention for the samefrequency. Furthermore, such increased amplitudes. mean that the screens and. consequently the goods carried between them are subjected to a greater and undesirable" tension; Moreover, the use of high amplitudes to attain the desired acceleration rates are detrimental becausezthey'tend to; setup wave motion in the tank; which. is; difiicult tocontrol and is almost entirely. a.voide,dz by the: present invention.

Asan. example of. the present invention, the rolls 16+20tinclusive. immersed; in; the tank. may all be about two; (=2); feet part: or sufiiciently close to prevent appreciable sag oh thescreensiniatank'about eighteen 18) feet long through. which the goods. travels at about twelve (12) yardspen minute. The roll groups-17 and 19 may be: vibratedzat' about 350tvibrations per minute through an.- amplitudeof 023; inch;

The. screens are constructed: to: afford minimum interference: tofreeinterchange of treatingsolution, by not having thein interstices so small as to impede fl'ow. Nor should. the screens: stretch, since stretching exerts an adverse effect: onthe goods.

From the foregoing; it will be readily understood that the arrangement: just described has many advantages. Firstly, the fabric, yarns, or loose fibers, such as wool topsor scoured wool, are in a relaxed condition when fed through the tank because the tension required to lead them through the tank is applied to the screens, not to the goods; Secondly, the force required to conduct the=goods and screens-through the tank, is a minimum because they are insubstantially the same plane from entrance to-cxit. This also enables the use of a weaker screenthan would'otherwise be necessarysince the weaker screen WIII5 not stretchwith the lower force applied. Thirdly, the reversing of the direction of acceleration repeatedly and rapidly causes-thorough and evenimpregnation of all-of the fibersrapidly, without creating undesirable wave'motion-in the solution.

In Fig; 4 another embodiment of the invention is illus trated. This embodiment is advantageous when space limitation-requirea tank of limited'length and when the material must pass through additional sets of vibrating rolls toreceive full' treatment:

In Fig; 4 like reference numerals refer to like parts in Figs: 1'3i Orr entrance inm the solution in the tank, the goods and screenslZv, 14", 15, pass around an entrance guide'roll lil; and thence in' a singleplane tothrce aligned, spaced; vibratingrolls32', which cooperate with rolls 33' beneaththem; Beneath rolls' 33, and cooperating with them, is a similar set. of three; rolls 38; and beneath roll's 38 and cooperating therewith, is a fourth similar set 40 All of'rolls 32, 33, 38; and 40, are mounted on, and carried by, movable supporting frame plates 22 likeplates 22 and vibrated in the same manner as plates 22, so as to cause all the rolls 32, 33, 38', and 40 to vibrate vertically. From the. last pair of rolls 32, 33, the screens continuing in the same plane pass between a similar set of three pairs of'rolls.34, 35.

The rolls 34 have three. sets. of three. rolls each 35,

path between the sets of rolls 35,37, and then between the sets of rolls 33, 38. From'rolls 33, 38, the screens pass to a fixed guide roll 39 at the entrance end of the tank and have their path again reversed by it. The screens then pass in a straight path between the sets of rolls 38, 40, and then, between the sets of rolls 37 and 41. From rolls 37, 41, the screens pass around an exit guide roll 42, and out of the tank to squeezing rolls 21, as in the previous form.

Thus, in Fig. 4, three passes through two tiers of vibrating rolls are made in a shorttank. In each pass the screens are only lightly pressed upon by the vibrating rolls, and are conducted in a single plane on each pass from one end of the tank to the other. The advantages of tensionless support and full amplitude of vibration are also achieved here as well as in Fig. 1.

Clearly, the set of rolls 34, 35, 37, and 41 may be omitted if less treatment is needed over what is provided for in the arrangement of Fig. '4. In that case, the rolls 36, and 42, preferably will. be located the same distance from rolls 32, 33, 38, and 40, as they are from rolls 34, 35, 37, and 41, and the tank can be correspondingly shortened. Even so additional treatment is provided over that illustrated in Fig. 1.

Although the use of screens is the recommended mode of operation, under special conditions, certain fabrics may support themselves suffic iently to make the use of screens not essential. In such instances the spacing of the rolls will be such as to prevent any substantial sag of the cloth, the maximum spacing being dependent on the nature of the material. When the cloth constitutes its own support the vibratory motion imparted by the apparatus described will, by the rapid acceleration first in one direction and then in the other, cause the desired penetration.

For some materials which need to be supported, other means than screens may be employed, such as continuous belt-like tapes or cords running around the rolls in the same path as indicated for the screens. The cords or tapes may, if need be, be connected and spaced transversely by cross tapes or ties. Thus, the invention is not limited to a particular form of support for the material so long as it permits passage readily and freely of the solution through it into the material, and so long as the material is supported in substantially non-sagging and tensionless condition.

Many modifications within the scope of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore we do not limit the invention to the exact form and detail as illustrated and described.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for treating textile goods, loose fibers and like materials, comprising a tank containing a solution, upper and lower endless reticulated conveying means, means to continuously move said conveying means through the solution, means to introduce the material between said conveying means, means supporting said conveying means at spaced points along its path through the solution including pairs of stationary rolls at the inlet and exit ends of the tank and at least two pairs of laterally movable rolls between said stationary rolls, said pairs of rolls being substantially equally spaced at such distance from one another as to prevent sagging of the conveying means and conveyed material, and means to vibrate said movable rolls rapidly through a small amplitude to accelerate the whole of that area of the material transiently between said vibrating rolls through the same amplitude to and fro and to cause penetration of the solution into the material, said conveying means holding the goods between them with light pressure and conveying the goods through the solution in tensionless condition. 1

2. Apparatus for treating textile goods, loose fibers and like materials, comprising a tank containing a solution, a pair'of endless-belt-type screens, means to convey said screens through the solution, means to introduce the material between said screens, means supporting said screens at spaced points along their path through the solution, and means to vibrate both said supporting means in unison transversely of the direction of conveyance, thereby moving the whole area of the screens and material transiently bounded by saidspaced points to and fro with a rapid vibratory motion of small amplitude and high frequency to cause rapid repeated penetration of the solution into the material. I

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the screens run back and forth through the solution and wherein the screen supporting means includes pairs of cooperating rolls, one of each pair being above the upper screen while the other is below the lower screen, and roll supporting means at each end of said pairs of rolls, said roll supporting means carrying a plurality of said pairs of rolls which support the screen in its movement both back and forth through the tank.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein certain of said screen supporting rolls act as top rolls for portions of the screens moving in one direction and bottom rolls for portions of the screen moving in the opposite direction.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the screens run back and forth in the solution and wherein the screen supporting means includes pairs of rolls one roll of each pair being on one side of the screens While the other is on the other side of the screens, and roll suproll supporting means carrying a plurality of said pairs of said screen supporting rolls, some rolls supporting a portion of the screens moving in one direction and some supporting a portion of the screens moving in the other direction.

' 6. Apparatus for treating textile goods, loose fibers and like materials, comprising a tank containing a solution, juxtaposed endless reticulated conveying means to support said material on both sides, means to continuously move said conveying means through the solution in juxtaposition, means to sandwich the material between said conveying means, means supporting said conveying means at spaced points along its path through the solution, and means to rapidly accelerate in a direction transverse to the direction of conveyance the whole of that portion of the material which is transiently situated between said supporting means and also to reversely accelerate said portion, said acceleration of the whole of said portion being through the same amplitude and being caused by vibration of low amplitude and high frequency.

7.- Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the supporting means are positioned to exert only lightpressure on said conveying means and material whereby the conveying means conveys the material through the solution in tensionless and relaxed condition.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, having a plural ity of said spaced vibrated supporting means, said supporting means being substantially in alignment for conveying the material through the solution substantially in a single plane.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, having a plurality of said spaced vibrated supporting means, said supporting means being substantially in alignment for conveying the material through the solution substantially in a single plane.

(References on following page) umrnzn. sums, BAT-Ems Bottomlyet a1. "Aug. 21, 19905 Hubinger June 17,,1'930 Pearce May 30'; 1 933 S'teinberger D'ec.;15', 1936f Schrcy Sept,v 26,-, 1939 Tarbox, Oct 3,. 1939' 8 Alexander May 17, 1949 Spaniel" Jan. 241, 1950' W'edlcr' Tune 26, T951 Red'man May-20; 1952 Ncwnam Jan. 1'8, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Feb. 16, 1952- Great Britain- Feb. 23, 1-948 Germany Apr; 27, 1940 

